The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-06-23
THE LONG STRAD.

IL was an unlucky day tor me
though was not born till ten years
afterward-when that big cellar door
slammed to, and nipped of the end of
Marearet's little finger at the early
age of seven.
Margaret was passionately fond OF
music but she could not sing, and her
encounter with the door prevented
Der from being first-rate performer
on the piano. She would not content
herself with auything short of perfec.
ton; and so for years long and many
the music within her found no utter
ance. At last, after few gray hairs
began to show themselves among her
thick brown braids, Prof. Mohr ad-
vised her to learn the violin.
We corresponding some happy years
together in Germany, Margaret play
ing the role OF guardian grimalkin to
my kittenish innocence. We were not
related, but rs inseparable as the
ladies OF Lansollen. I took drawing
lessons, and we were both deep in Ian.
guages. In our free hours we were care
less and happy as lambs in clover, un.
til Prof. Mohr's unlucky suggestion
started us on the road to despair.
We wese staying in Munich when
this misfortune overlook us. Margar-
OF was fired with enthusiasm at the
thought OF possibly being good mu.
slcian at last. She was past 30, and
for q while tortured herself with fears
that this was TOO old to begin to learn
anything so difficult as the violin.
But they raked up for her benefit
many instances OF musical prodigies
turned out late in life, to the aston
ishment of the world and themselves.
Perseverance,, aptitude and health
would do wonders.
Convinced at last of the wisdom OF
her undertaking, and radiant with
hope, Margaret engaged a master at
more marks an hour than would have
paid for half week Of operas in the
Gallerie Noble. She next commits.
stoned some old virtuoso and dealers
in musical instruments to ferret out
for her q good violin from beneath the
dust and rubbish of ages. No easy
matter this, for Margaret had read
deeply on the subject, and would be
content with nothing of later date
than the seventeenth century; and the
granting OF the cunningly mosaiced
sycamore must undulate under it's
golden varnish ''like the setting sum.
mer sun on cloud and wave."
At the expiration OF week Herr
Bratwurst wrote from tho Tyrol, de.
scribing with flowery extravaganza
the jewel OF an instrument he had un.
earthed at Brixen, among the goods
and chatte]s of an Israelitish gentle.
man in the old clothes business. When
found, this prize was e wreck, gone to
pieces under pillows of flimsy satin
gowns and theatrical coats of cotton
velvet; but carefully set together again
by the magic hand OF q Bratwurst. it
was worthy of Tarisio himself. A
fragment at the back bore the precious
inscription, "Antonius Stradivariue
Cremonensis Faciebat, Ammo 1884,
And q portion of the instrument at
least might be regarded as the work Of
this master. IL was in shape a "Lone
Strad.' and was a marvellous com
bination OF sycamore, Swiss pine and
lemon tree. The varnish was q de-
light to the eye and the tone-but her;
words failed for description. The su.
preme moment arrived when, Margar
ct was to see this wonder, and decide
whether or not she might call it hel
own. 1t seemed like opening Ions
buried coffin, they were so serious
about undoing its box, which looked
SO worn and shabby.
Margaret was speeches with delight
when Professor Mohr played upon it
went into technical raptures, and
eventually paid for it, smillingly, tn.
price OF two good pianos. Connois
seurs. even those not interested, sale
it closely resembled an authenti,
Stradivarius, and as such was bar
gain; so | kept my surprise locked il
my ignorant bosom.
Margaret bought for her Jewels {
beautiful polished and inlaid mahog
any case, lined with blue velvet. l, IL
burst of enthusiasm, embroidered
a fiddle blanket of fine blue cloth, Of
which l executed in gold thread TIN
treble clef, and Margaret's initials, NJ
A. c., in beautiful silks. A spray O
flowers was depicted beneath, and
thought the who'll thing a masterpiece
of originality and skill. It was lined
with satin, quilted, wadded and per
fumed; and the case, with it's blank
cts, would have made nice bed TO-
one OF the rolypoly Bavarian princel
jngs we saw III the street with thei
squadron of nursemaids.
Strange, uncouth sounds began nov
to issue from our little dwelling. L
was Il musical atmosphere where ",
lived, and people were prepared fo
the spasmOdic wailipg and sharl
spiteful yels produced by beginne
on the violin. Otherwise l shoult
have been ashamed.
Margaret worked with fev6rish en-
ergy, and must confess that sh'
made rapid progress. From early
morning till as late at night as tn,
police regulations allowed she fiddlet
as i for her life. She sawed the emp
ty air with her bow to exercise Ger
tain elbow mucles; played before tn
mirror to break herself of maxim,
hideous faces, which caused me grea;
delight; racked her brains over har
mony, and split her own ears ant
mine with studies ahead o
her capacities. Her energy droy
me to greater activity in my drawing
which, however, did not bring increas
ed pleasure. There must have beer
something wrong in my characte
that was not happier for this furious
emulation Of the busy bee. Margaret
often said, with q shake of the head
If were eighteen like you, Kate, in
stead Of twice that age, ! would max
something of myself" Then, asham
ed Of neglectine my opportunities,
would 60 up on the roof and sketcl
= clouds, while the other girls went Of
for n ramble in the solitude.